You won’t believe how easy it is to make refrigerator dill pickles at home. No fancy equipment or special skills required! (They’re also naturally Paleo, Whole30, Gluten-Free)

adding dill to a jar of homemade refrigerator dill pickles

Maybe it’s just me, but homemade pickles always seemed like an intimidating project! That is, until I tried refrigerator pickles!

If you haven’t had these quick pickles before, you’re in for a treat–they’re the EASIEST pickle recipe around!

These easy refrigerator dill pickles don’t require any fancy canning equipment, special skills, or a lot of time. If you can slice + whisk, you can make dill refrigerator pickles! They’re perfect pickles for serving on burgers and sandwiches, in burger bowls, or for a simple snack.

You’ll be putting these easy dill pickles on EVERYTHING by the time we’re done!

ingredients for refrigerator dill pickles

Start With A Few Simple Ingredients

The great thing about refrigerator pickles is how simple the ingredients are! Here’s all you need to get started on these delicious pickles…

FRESH CUCUMBERS. I recommend thin-skinned cucumbers for refrigerator dill pickles. English cucumbers or small cucumbers, like Kirby cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or pickling cucumbers are the best pickles for making this refrigerator dill pickle recipe. Use what you can find at the grocery store or farmer’s market!
FRESH GARLIC. I like a little crushed garlic in my dill pickles. I recommend 1 small or 1/2 a large clove crushed (not minced or sliced) per pint of pickles. To crush garlic, just use the flat side of a large knife to press down on the whole clove until it splits. (You can also do this with the bottom of a glass.)
FRESH DILL. The big dill flavor in my refrigerator dill pickles comes from using fresh dill sprigs. I get it with other fresh herbs in the produce department of my grocery stores (even Target & Walmart have it!).
WHOLE PEPPERCORNS + RED PEPPER FLAKES. For more flavor, I like using a mix of whole black peppercorns (plenty of flavor without any of the grit!) and red pepper flakes. These won’t be spicy, but adding a little bit of pepper will round out the flavor.
VINEGAR + WATER + SALT. Lastly, the brine (aka pickle juice!)! The quick brine for my refrigerator pickles uses white vinegar, water, and kosher salt. That’s it! But after a day or two of sitting in the fridge, that simple brine will absorb all the other flavors from the garlic + dill + pepper. It’s delicious + easy!

Don’t Forget The Jars!

Strictly speaking, refrigerator pickles can be stored in any clean jar or any kind of container with a lid-–pint-size jars, glass food storage containers, and working glasses with lids are my favorites. We’ve had great luck with wide-mouth jars, which are easier to get food in and out of. Also, we like these reusable lids, which are washable and perfect for day-to-day use and won’t rust.

Additionally, you can use any size jars/containers you want for refrigerator dill pickles. I’ve used 32oz jars, 16oz jars, and 8oz jars. I’ll give instructions based on 16oz (pint) jars since that seems to be the most common size, but know that you can divide this among any size jars you have!

Refrigerator Dill Pickles from One Lovely Life

4 Shapes Of Refrigerator Pickles To Try

Now that you’ve gathered your pickle ingredients & jars, it’s time to choose your pickle shape! You can cut your cucumbers into several different shapes, depending on your preference. Here are the 4 I gravitate to most:

WHOLE PICKLES. This works with small cucumbers, like Kirby or Persian. Pickles should easily fit in your jar and shouldn’t poke up above the surface of the brine.
PICKLE SPEARS OR WEDGES. Cut cucumbers into quarters lengthwise. For larger cucumbers (like English cucumbers), you’ll also need to cut the spears in half or thirds so they’re short enough to fit into your jars.
PICKLE CHIPS. My go-to shape for refrigerator dill pickles is pickle chips (round slices). You can slice them into coins with a sharp knife. I recommend no thinner than 1/4″ thick!
CRINKLE CUT PICKLE CHIPS (MY FAVORITE!). Or, for a fun effect, you can cut the cucumbers into coins using a crinkle cutter to get a fun wavy shape. I own this crinkle cutter, but this style and this crinkle cutting knife are also great options with high reviews.

DON’T SLICE THE CUCUMBERS TOO THIN! For the best texture (crisp pickles, please!), try not to slice or cut your cucumbers much thinner than 1/4 inch for refrigerator pickles. This way, they’ll absorb the brine and stay crisp. Thinner sliced cucumbers can go limp more quickly.

making homemade refrigerator pickles step by step

How To Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

Combine Seasonings. In each pint jar, place 1 smashed garlic clove, 1 tsp. peppercorns, 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, and 2 fronds of dill.
Prepare your cucumbers. Slice cucumbers into your desired shape–whole mini cucumbers, pickle spears, pickle chips, or crinkle cut pickle chips.
Divide the prepared cucumbers among the pint jars. For best results, pack them close together, but not so tightly that they’re full to bursting (make sure to leave enough room for the pickling brine!). If you have it, place one more frond of dill on top of the cucumbers.
Prepare the pickle brine. Combine water, vinegar and salt until the salt dissolves completely. Carefully pour the vinegar mixture into each jar, filling to cover the cucumbers, if possible.
Refrigerate the pickles. Secure lids on mason jars and refrigerate 24-48 hours before enjoying. (They’ll continue to develop flavor the longer they sit in the brine.) Homemade dill pickles should remain fresh 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator. They are not safe for long-term storage at room temperature.

FAQ + Tips For The Best Refrigerator Dill Pickles

HOW LONG WILL REFRIGERATOR DILL PICKLES KEEP IN THE FRIDGE? Refrigerator pickles are not shelf stable at room temperature but will stay fresh about 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator. They will soften slightly as time goes on, but won’t spoil before 3 weeks, thanks to the vinegar and salt in the brine.

WHAT SIZE JARS DO YOU USE FOR REFRIGERATOR PICKLES? Any size or shape of jar will work for this easy recipe, though I’ll be giving amounts per pint (2-cups/16oz) of pickles. If you’re using a larger or smaller jar, you’ll just need to divide the mixture accordingly.

CAN I USE DRIED DILL INSTEAD? I love dried dill in things like my homemade ranch dressing, but I don’t recommend dried dill for refrigerator dill pickles. The flavor won’t be as fresh or potent, and the finely cut dried dill will coat the surface of the pickles instead of just flavoring the brine.

ARE THESE PICKLES SPICY? No. They’re flavorful, but not hot. If you’re nervous, I recommend omitting the red pepper flakes. If you like spicy pickles, I recommend more red pepper flakes for some spice.

Printable Recipe Card

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